1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a discharge port member having a liquid discharge port and to a method for manufacturing a liquid discharge head.
2.Description of the Related Art
A liquid discharge head includes a fine discharge port provided in a discharge port member and a flow path in communication with the discharge port, and recording is performed by discharging liquid supplied from the flow path toward a recording medium.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2002-103613 discloses a method for manufacturing a discharge port member having recessed portions provided in sections that form ceiling portions of the flow paths of the discharge port member. In this method, a first plating layer is formed by plating on a conductive substrate on which a first resist corresponding to discharge ports is formed. A second resist is then formed on the first plating layer, and a second plating layer is formed by plating. Then the second resist is removed, and portions from which the second resist has been removed serve as the recessed portions corresponding to the discharge ports. The formation of the recessed portions is advantageous for refilling with liquid because the volume of the flow paths is larger than the volume when no recessed portions are formed.
However, during patterning by exposure to light to form the second resist, the light passing through the second resist can be reflected from the surface of the first plating layer. Therefore, portions of the second resist that should not be exposed to light can be exposed to the reflected light. This may result in an undesired resist shape, and the flow paths formed from the plating layers may not have the desired shape.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to solve the above problem. Another object is to provide a discharge port member manufacturing method that can produce, at a high yield, a discharge port member having recessed portions and formed with high shape accuracy.